Accessory for Sports Training and Leisure Activity

ABSTRACT

An accessory for sports training and leisure activity that includes a springy internal spine and a soft external shell that can also be springy. The springy internal spine is hoop-shaped and is made of a springy, rigid material. The soft external shell is also hoop-shaped, is made of a soft material, and envelops the springy internal spine. The combination of the internal spine and external shell gives the accessory uniqueness. The springy internal spine imparts a bouncy character to the accessory, and the soft external shell provides the user with a pleasant grip and protects the user from injury. The springy internal spine can be located close to the inner side of the soft external shell. The soft external shell of the accessory can have circumferential cut-outs. The accessory is also equipped with center of gravity modification means, a sensor, a command unit, indication means, illumination means.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to an accessory for sports training and leisure activity, which can also serve as a coordination training aid.

BACKGROUND ART

There is a constant demand for new and innovative products in the area of leisure activities and sports training as well as products that enhance and train personal capabilities and skills. The present patent application describes a new and innovative accessory that is designed to be used as for leisure activities and sports training, by one or more users, in a variety of leisure and training situations and possibilities, as will be described in the following application.

Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,453 describes a flying toy apparatus comprises two separated halves. This flying apparatus consists of a pair of hollow outer flexible tubes and a pair of circular rods. These circular rods are designed to be disposed within the center of the outer tubes. On the other hand, the accessory subject matter of the present invention includes a springy internal spine and a soft external shell wherein the springy internal spine is located close to the inner side of the soft external shell.

Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,869 describes an aerodynamic toy that includes several peripheral serial pockets that are designed to contain disks of weights. On the other hand, the accessory subject matter of the present invention includes clamp rings that are connected to one half of the accessory and by that they served as a center of gravity modification means. Prior art US2004048725 describes exercising hula-hoop assembly that includes depressible switch for counting the rounds the user make while using this assembly on his hips. On the other hand, the accessory subject matter of the present invention may include a sensor, a command unit, and indication means for measuring the speed, the distance and the time of each flight of the accessory.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The intention of the drawings attached to the application is not to limit the scope of the invention and its application. The drawings are intended only to illustrate the invention and they constitute only one of its many possible implementations.

FIG. 1 depicts the accessory (1), which includes a bouncy, internal “spine” (2) and a horizontal cross section of a soft, external shell.

FIG. 2 presents a longitudinal cross section of the accessory (1) wherein the internal spine (2) is located close to the inner side (31) of the external shell (3).

FIG. 3 presents a vertical cross section of the accessory (1) wherein the external shell (3) is elliptical.

FIG. 4 depicts the accessory (1) with circumferential cut-outs (32) in the soft, external shell (3).

FIG. 5 depicts the accessory (1) with clamp rings (41) that are used as a center of gravity modification means (4).

FIG. 6 depicts the accessory (1) with weights (42) that are used as a center of gravity modification means (4).

FIG. 7 depicts the accessory (1), including a sensor (5), a command unit (6), an indicator (7), and circumferential lighting (8).

THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an accessory that is designed to be used for leisure activities and sports training, by one or more users. The accessory can also be used to enhance coordination and sharpen instincts. The accessory is designed for use by children, adults and even people with special needs.

The accessory (1), subject of the present invention, comprises a bouncy internal spine (2) and an external shell (3), which can also be bouncy. The internal spine (2) is hoop-shaped and is made of a bouncy but rigid material.

The internal spine (2) may, for instance, be made of a rigid, springy plastic, so that when it is thrown forcefully on the floor, it bounces back. The external shell (3) envelops the inner spine (2) so that it too is hoop-shaped, although it is made of soft, springy materials that are pleasant to the touch, such as foamed materials and so on. The accessory (1) can be used for leisure activities or for sports training. The accessory (1) can be played with and used in training like a ball or a Frisbee. The fact that the internal spine (2) is rigid and springy helps maintain the round structure of the accessory (1), on the one hand, and on the other hand, imparts a springy character to the entire accessory (1), so that it may be kicked (like a ball), thrown back and forth (like a Frisbee), thrown against the floor (vertically) so that it bounces back, and so on and so forth various possibilities for leisure activities and sports training. The main objectives of the soft, external shell is to provide the accessory (1) with a pleasant grip, soften any impact and prevent injury to users, and impart an additional degree of bounciness to the accessory.

FIG. 1 presents a partial horizontal cross section of the accessory (1) showing the springy internal spine (2) and a cross section of the soft external shell (3).

The special structure of the accessory (1), as described above and in the application, imparts onto the accessory (1) bounciness when it is thrown against surfaces such as the floor, walls, the ground, grass, sand (at the beach) and so on. This structure and these capabilities enable the accessory to be used in a variety of places and for a variety of uses.

The Location of the Internal Spine (2) in the External Shell (3):

The outer diameter (11) of the accessory (1) should be such as to offer users a comfortable and pleasant grip both when holding the accessory and throwing it and trying to catch it when it is being thrown at them during a game. Since there the outer diameter of the accessory is limited, and since the soft external shell (3) is intended to provide maximum protection from injury, the internal spine (2) can and should be located within the external shell (3), as close as possible to the inner side (31), which faces the middle of the accessory (1), rather than in the middle of the external shell (3). FIG. 2 presents a longitudinal cross section of the accessory (2) wherein the internal spine (2) is located close to the inner side of the external shell (3). With such a configuration, the objective of providing the user with maximum protection against injury while satisfying the constraint regarding the external diameter (11) of the accessory (1) is met. This positioning of the internal spine (2) within the external shell (3) leads to more efficient application of the springiness component of the soft shell.

The vertical cross section of the springy internal spine (2) can be round, or elliptical, or any other shape. This is true also for the vertical cross section of the soft external shell (3). Nevertheless, it is emphasized that the vertical cross section of the external shell (3) may be elliptical, as depicted for instance in FIG. 3. Such a cross section enables the spine (2) to be positioned efficiently close to the inner side (31) of the external shell (3).

The Unique Structure of the Soft External Shell (3):

The materials from which the soft external shell (3) is made impart to it its bounciness, which enhances and improves the effectiveness of the accessory (1). The volume of the cavities in the soft external shell (3), and the air trapped within them, give the accessory (1) bounciness, in addition to that provided by the internal spine (2). The soft external shell (3) should be made of soft and bouncy materials of optimal compactness and specific gravity to obtain maximal performance as per the aforementioned objective. In addition, the weight of the soft external shell (3) relative to the weight of the bouncy internal spine (2) should provide maximum efficiency in terms of the bounciness of the accessory (1). It is also desirable that the shape of the cross section of the soft external shell (3) have an optimal diameter so as to obtain high bounce efficiency.

The Unique Structure of the Bouncy Internal Spine (2):

The materials from which the bouncy internal spine (2) is made impart to it its bounciness, which enhances and improves the effectiveness of the accessory (1). The bouncy internal spine (2) should be made of a rigid material with such bounciness, compactness and specific gravity so as to obtain maximal bounciness and elasticity. It is also desirable that the shape of the cross section of the bouncy internal spine (2) be of an optimal diameter so as to obtain high bounce efficiency.

The unique structure of the bouncy internal spine (2) and of the soft external shell (3), as described above, are designed so as to achieve high bounce efficiency of the accessory, to enable optimal grip while accessory is in use, to impart safety efficiency to the accessory against injury to users as well as to bystanders and other objects in the area, and to impart long-term quality and durability, as well as a relatively low manufacturing cost.

Circumferential Cut-Outs in the External Shell (3):

The external shell (3) can have circumferential cut-outs (32) in it, designed to make the accessory (1) lighter and to enhance its bounciness, as depicted for instance in FIG. 4.

Center of Gravity Modification Means:

The accessory (1) can be equipped with center of gravity modification means (4), which can include a variety of means, such as clamp rings (41), weights (42) and so on. The clamp rings (41) can be inserted onto the accessory (1) and positioned by the user in any place on the circumference of the accessory (1) that the user desires. The same is true for weights (42), which can be positioned in any place on the circumference of the accessory (1). The weights (42) can be attached to the accessory (1) using a variety of attachment means, such as studs, clamps, loops, tie straps, and so on. FIG. 5 depicts the accessory (1) with center of gravity modification means (4) of the clamp ring (41) type. FIG. 6 depicts the accessory (1) with center of gravity modification means (4) of the weight (42) type. The purpose of the center of gravity modification means (4) is to cause the accessory (1) to swerve when it is thrown or kicked.

Options for Using and Playing with the Accessory (1) are Highly Varied.

Thus, for instance, two players can stand facing each other at a certain distance from one another and can throw or kick the accessory back and forth. Because of the fact that the center of gravity of the accessory is not located at its geometric center, although it appears to be symmetrical, the trajectory of the accessory swerves in a surprising and unexpected manner. Such unexpected swerves sharpen the sense of the players, requiring them to react instantly to the change in the trajectory of the accessory in order to catch or kick it. Such use of the accessory improves the coordination of the players and improves their speed of reaction, including their ability to focus and maintain eye contact with the accessory, which travels through the air along a changing and unexpected trajectory.

The dimensions and weight of the accessory (1) can differ for various implementations of the invention, according to the specific purpose of use and age of users. A small, light-weight accessory with a small diameter is suitable of use by children, while an accessory whose center of gravity deviates significantly from the geometric center is suitable for coordination training and so on.

Means for Measuring and Indicating Performance Parameters of the Accessory:

The accessory (1) can also be equipped with a sensor (5) that measures its acceleration and velocity as well as the distance that it travels from the moment it is set into motion until it stops and, in the case of vertical upward motion (when it is thrown straight up), its peak height. The sensor (5) can be attached to a command unit (6) that includes a controller (61) and a transmitter (62) that can transmit the parameters that the sensor (5) measures to a smartphone or to any other location. The accessory (1) can also be equipped with an internal power source, such as a rechargeable battery.

The sensor (5) and command unit (6) can and should be embedded in the soft external shell (3). These components enable users to measure and monitor their performance, to compare their performance with previous performance, and to compete with one another, for instance, in order to see who can throw the accessory with the highest velocity or acceleration or to the greatest distance. The accessory (1) may also include indication means (7) to indicate said parameters. Such an indication means (7) may be an indicator lamp that changes color according to the value of the parameter measured. For instance, an indicator lamp (7) may emit a variety of colors, from yellow to purple, through orange and red. At lower the velocities, the color of the indication lamp will be yellow, changing to orange, and then to red as velocity increases, finally reaching purple at very high speeds. Alternatively, the indication means (7) may be a device that buzzes or emits some other sound whose frequency changes according to the value of the measured parameter. Thus, two players can, for instance, compete to see which of them can throw the accessory higher or faster, and indication will be in real time using the indication means (7). The command unit can include buttons that enable users to select which parameter is indicated: velocity, acceleration, distance, height, sun intensity, and so on.

The accessory (1) can also be equipped with an illumination means (8), irrespective of the indication means (7), so as to enable user to use the accessory in the dark and to enhance user experience. FIG. 7 depicts the accessory (1) in partial cross section, including a sensor (5), command unit (6), indication means (7), and circumferential illumination means (8). 

What is claimed is:
 1. An accessory for sports training and leisure activity comprises: a springy internal spine and a soft external shell; wherein the springy internal spine is hoop-shaped and is made of a springy rigid material; wherein the soft external shell is hoop-shaped and is made of a soft material; wherein said soft external shell envelops said springy internal spine; wherein said springy internal spine is located close to the inner side of said soft external shell, that faces the center of said accessory; whereby the springy internal spine imparts a bouncy character to said accessory and whereby enables a user to kick it like a ball, throw it back and forth like a Frisbee, and bounce it of any surface; whereby the soft external shell provides the user with a pleasant grip and protects the user from injury.
 2. The accessory according to claim 1 wherein said accessory is also equipped with two or more clamp rings; wherein said clump rings are designed to be connected to one half of said accessory; wherein said clamp rings are served as a center of gravity modification means; whereby the trajectory of said accessory is given a surprising swerve.
 3. The accessory according to claim 2 wherein said soft external shell had several circumferential holes around it.
 4. The accessory according to claim 3 wherein said accessory is also equipped with a sensor, a command unit, and indication means; wherein said sensor is designed to measure the speed, the distance and the time of each flight of said accessory; wherein said command unit is equipped with a controller and transmitter, which are designed to transmit the parameters measured by said sensor to the indicator means; and whereby the indicator indicates said measured parameters, or part of them. 